Visualizer disk



V Abril 17 1934. v

A. O. TATE VI SUALIZER DISK Original Filed May 31, 1930 Qvwantoz Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application May 31, 1930, Serial No. 458,402

' Renewed September 2, 1933 lclaim.

This invention relates to an apparatus for treating light rays, and more particularly to a visualizer disk having apertures which are arranged to successively scan different portions of an image.

The invention provides a visualizer disk in which the vision is unobstructed, but which has means incorporated therewith for preventing passage of other materials such as dust or rain.

The invention may be applied to a disk of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 311,118, filed October 8, 1928, Apparatus for treating light and similar rays, and will be described as applied to a disk of this type.

The disk may be utilized for various purposes in which it is desired to cut off a portion of the light rays, for example, in viewing a high powered light, such as a furnace or an arc, and may be applied to a moving vehicle in the manner set forth in my Patent No. 1,388,214, dated August 23,

.1921. Wind shield for vehicles. If used for this purpose the driver obtains an unobstructed vision through the apertures of the disk and is not forced to look through the glass portion of the wind shield. The invention particularly provides for maintaining a clear vision and preventing dust, rain, snow and other materiai from passing through the apertures of the disk or from gathering on the disk.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, the mode of its operation and the manner of its organization may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a Visualizer disk constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showingv the location of the apertures and vanes; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified form 0f V811 Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

' In the following description and in the claims parts will be identified by specific names to; convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in peripheral speed as the disk is rotated.

of apertures 11, each of which is bounded by arcs of concentric circles and radii of the disk.

The various radii are equally spaced about the disk so that the apertures are all of equal radian measurement. The concentric circles are equally spaced radially of the disk so that the apertures are all of the same radial dimension. It is to be noted therefore that the apertures have an area which isproportional to their distance from the center of the disk and also proportional to their The apertures are preferably arranged to reveal v an object in a plurality of progressive sections, as for example, beginning at the aperture closest to the center of the disk the object would be scanned outwardly in successive sections until the aperture adjacent the periphery of the disk is reached. Thereafter, the object would be scanned in a reverse direction completing the cycle or undulation. As the disk is rotated the scanning movement continues with the undulating motion which has been demonstrated to possess desirable optical eiiects and to prevent eye strain. The above type of disk is more fully described in my copending application above mentioned.

In accordance with the present invention a plurality of vanes 12 are mounted on disk 10 adjacent apertures 11. Said vanes may be soldered or otherwise secured to the disk and are bent outwardly so that when the disk rotates'in the direction of arrow 13 (Fig. 3) the air curg0 rents are caused to follow the path indicated by arrow 14. All the apertures are accordingly shielded from the air currents, and any foreign matter, such as snow or rain, would be carried by said currents away from the apertures and 9 prevented from passing therethrough. It is to be understood in this connection that the disk is rotated at a comparatively high rate of speed. Consequently vanes having a slight inclination would ordinarily be suitable for this purpose.

The vanes are so mounted that they do not obstruct the vision through the apertures. For this purpose they are mounted on the side of the disk away from the observer and the ends of the vanes are so located that they do not overlie any without interfering with the mechanical operano from coming into view even though the disk is held at a-considerable angle to the eye.

A modified form of disk is shown in Fig. 4 in which vanes 20 are formed by stamping a portion of the metal of the disk and bending the same outwardly. A section 21 of metal is preferably left between vanes 20 and apertures 22 so'that the edge of the aperture will be sharply defined and the optical quality of the disk will remain unchanged.

If the above described disk is to be used in connection with a moving vehicle as illustrated in my previous patent above mentioned, the disk is mounted in place of the wind-shield with the vanes extending to the outside or front of the vehicle. When the disk is rotated the apertures cause the eye to scan the object with a complete undulation with each revolution of the disk. The proportion of the total light whichis admitted to the eye is determined by the relative size of the apertures as well as the speed of travel thereof.

This may be suitably regulated to produce the desired quality of vision.

Inasmuch as the line of vision is not caused to pass through glass the refraction and reflection, which are apparent with glass wind-shields, is eliminated. -At the same time the total quantity of light may be reduced to permit the driver to obtain a clear vision of the road even when facing a strong headlight. Furthermore, the vanes located as above described create an air current which prevents any material from passing through the disk or from gathering thereon and interfering with the efiicient operation of the tion thereof; Such a space prevents the vanes apparatus. The device is particularly useful in driving a vehicle in adverse weather conditions, such as during rain or snow, inasmuch as the driver is completely shielded from the elements and no accumulation can take place which would impede the vision.

Although the above invention is being described as applied to a particular type of visualizer disk, it is obvious that it may be applied to other disks having apertures arranged in other manners. One particular form has been shown by way of illustration only.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a device for treating light rays, a Visualizer disk having a plurality of independent apertures variably spaced between the center and the periphery thereof and spaced circumferentially to intermittently and successively reveal various parts of an object when said disk is rotated, a vane located adjacent each of said apertures and extending outwardly from the face of said disk 

